Body recovered of 9-year-old boy missing in Bangs Lake in Wauconda

WAUCONDA, Ill. (WLS) -- The body of a 9-year-old boy that went missing in Bangs Lake in Wauconda Friday night has been recovered.

The boy has been identified as Geraldo Rodriguez Jr.

The Wauconda Fire Department's Chief Mike DaValle said the boy's parents said they did not know their son was out on the lake when the incident occurred.

"As you can imagine they're very distraught; they're looking for closure, which its completely understandable. So, we're gonna do our best to give them the closure they need and deserve today," DaValle said.

Search teams used drones and side sonar radar to try to find the boy around noon Saturday.

"We haven't slept, none of us have slept. We were driving around last night just looking on the shore, hoping that he's out there somewhere and we were going to find him." said the boy's aunt Angie Bakewell.

Bakewell said that a birthday party was scheduled for him Saturday.

"Sunday was his birthday, today was supposed to be his birthday party," Bakewell said. "We were supposed to be celebrating his birthday party today. It was just an accident."

Wauconda police said they were called to Lakeview Villa Beach at about 7:20 p.m. Friday night for a water rescue.

Police said Rodriguez and a friend, 10, had been on the lake in a paddleboat, and went into the water and screamed for help. Nearby fishermen were able to pull the 10-year-old boy out of the water before emergency crews arrived.

Police said high winds and rough water carried the boy out towards the center of the lake.

"Due to the high winds and the rough water, the nine year old kind of got carried away to the center of the lake, said Heather Cognac, Wauconda Police Department Detective and Public Information Officer.

Police said the boys are neighbors and friends, and they live near the beach. Rodriguez's family had just moved to the neighborhood a year ago.

Fire officials said the 10-year-old boy did not sustain any life threatening injuries.